Mississippi State University reported record enrollment and its largest ever freshman class for fall 2016, citing information released Friday by the State Institutions of Higher Learning.
Mississippi University for Women, who has boasted a record number of graduates for two straight years, also saw an enrollment bump this fall.
A total of 21,622 students are enrolled at MSU, an increase of 749 from fall 2015. MSU’s record 3,624 first-time freshmen represent an increase of 153 from last year.
It was the second-straight year MSU’s enrollment reached record highs. Both years broke the previous record of 20,424 set in 2011.
MSU reports 25 percent of its students are minorities.
At MUW, student enrollment of 2,960 is up 11 percent from fall 2015. A university press release noted enrollment is up in all areas, including new freshmen, new transfers and continuing students.
The release said 81 percent of the W’s students are female, 19 percent are male and 34 percent are African American.
Combined enrollment at all of Mississippi’s public four-year universities this fall is 83,016, up 2.5 percent from last year.
The University of Mississippi is the state’s largest four-year institution with 24,250 students.
Community college enrollment actually dropped by almost one percent in Mississippi, with a total of 73,481 enrolled this fall. East Mississippi Community College, which has campuses in Scooba and Mayhew, saw enrollment drop by 6 percent to 4,261.
Hinds Community College, the state’s largest with 11,505 students, saw enrollment increase by 1.3 percent.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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